In April 2014, DFHCS was contacted by the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame regarding the repair of a damaged trophy. The Avco Cup was the rebel World Hockey Association’s answer to the Stanley Cup, and was won three times by the Winnipeg Jets. It is a large and heavy piece, 39 cm across at its widest point (the bowl) and 99 cm high.

The trophy had been damaged during shipping. The bowl of the trophy was dented and there were two areas of roughness on the rim. The screw holding the bowl to the upright had been bent to one side, causing the bowl to lean at an angle. The foot of the bowl was partially separated from the bowl itself. The treatment required that the dents and scrapes be removed from the bowl and that a way be found to straighten the bent bolt, which protruded from the top of a solid polymer cylinder, and reattach the foot.

It was decided that the bowl would be reformed using a custom-made form that conformed to the exact dimensions of interior bowl, using a polished hardwood block or Delrin polymer resin, based on dimensions that were extrapolated from undamaged areas. DFHCS conservator Alex McPhie carried out a trial treatment on a Goodwill test piece, to ensure mastery of a smooth tap-out procedure. Bags of flour were set beneath the bowl, and the positive form set in the interior of the bowl and gently tapped out with a rubber mallet. Following a successful trial run, the same procedure was applied to the bowl of the Avco cup itself.

Areas of the separated foot to be soldered were cleaned with silver polish, water and Orvus WA paste and then resoldered to the bowl with a soldering iron and Tix Sticks.

In order to reaffix the Bowl to the Trophy body, the old bolt was cut off with a jeweller’s saw. A separate attachment piece made from a stainless steel nut coupler and a stainless steel bolt with the same threaded diameter and size as the original was nickel brazed together at the same angle required for the bolt to face upright when screwed on to the stub of the old bolt.

A very mild conservation-grade polish was used to polish the silver plated bowl, foot of bowl, foot below Plexiglas and the foot below the wood base.